Walker applauds plan for more say in energy development

Gov. Bill Walker is heralding an Interior Department announcement for greater state and local input in North Slope oil and gas development as a new chapter in Alaska’s history.

In the wake the announcement from Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke during his visit to Alaska on May 31, Walker said the order removes obstacles so that Alaska “can play a greater role in securing the nation’s energy dominance.”

Zinke signed the secretarial order at the annual Alaska Oil and Gas Association conference in Anchorage. The order calls for a review and development of a revised integrated activity plan for the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, and updates resource assessments for areas of the North Slope, including Section 1002 Area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Contrary to his pronouncement, “Alaska is already open for drilling, with abundant leasing opportunities on state and federal lands, including the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska,” said Nicole Whittington-Evans, Alaska regional director of The Wilderness Society.

“The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is too wild to drill and a unique national treasure,” she said. “Similarly, the special areas of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska contain globally significant wildlife values. We don’t need to risk irreplaceable conservation and subsistence values for oil in the Arctic.”

In 2013, the Interior Department approved regulations placing over 11 million acres of the NPR-A, including coastal areas with high potential for development, into special conservation areas, despite input from state officials and local communities.

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Walker said the decision essentially prevented any exploration or development of those areas, and greatly impeded the state’s ability to develop infrastructure, such as roads for area communities, or new pipelines

Zinke’s decision directs the agency to review and revise those regulations in consultation with the state and leaders of affected communities.

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